Port Blair, April 24: The Lt. Governor, AK Singh has directed that Airports Authority of India to make arrangements for all the 4 aero bridges in the first phase itself catering for the enhanced traffic by 2018 at Port Blair’s Veer Savarkar International Airport. Singh has expressed his displeasure due to inordinate delay by the AAI in making arrangement for the night landing facility at the airport and issued directions to the AAI to submit a time line for the project. He has desired that the work related to installation of Glide Path must complete and commissioned by 31st December 2014.

In a meeting held at Raj Niwas today with the Director & other officers of Airports Authority of India in presence of Chief Secretary and Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Civil Aviation the Lt. Governor reviewed the progress on the proposed construction of New Integrated Terminal Building and arrangement of night landing facility at Port Blair airport. The AAI officials made a power point presentation and appraised the meeting about the current status of both the projects.

On the proposed construction of new terminal building, it was informed that the land issue has been sorted out and the structural design of the building has also been finalized. Also they have received the environment clearance for the project. Informing about the timelines it was stated that the tendering process will start in the first week of May, 2014 and the construction work will commence by August 2014 with project duration of 48 months. The target set for commissioning & Operationalization of New Terminal building is November, 2018.

Outlining various facilities, the AAI officials informed that the new terminal will have 2 Aero Bridges in the first phase and thereafter 2 more Aero Bridges will be added in the second phase after 2018.

Further, on the night landing facility, the officials informed that they are in the process of installation of Glide Path Indicator for the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the airport for night landing. The project duration including the tendering process, leveling/ grading of land, installation, calibration and commission etc. has been estimated for 1 year.

Meanwhile, AK Singh has directed the Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Civil Aviation to review the project on monthly basis in order to ensure timely completion of the projects.